Call for Airbnb hosts to offer homes as long-term rentals

There are calls for homeowners to consider flipping holiday and airbnb properties into long-term rentals in a bid to ease pressure on the FNQ housing crisis. COULD IT WORK?

THERE are calls for homeowners to consider flipping their holiday lets and airbnb properties into long-term rentals in a bid to ease pressure on the Far North housing crisis.

Anglicare North Queensland (ANQ) acting operations manager Evan Martin said the Cairns homelessness crisis is worsening, with more than 2000 people on the social housing register of need, and just 292 properties listed in this year’s snapshot with a median rental price of $474.47 a week.

Mr Evans said ANQ which manages the Cairns Homelessness Services Hub and a number of accommodation services, wants, property owners to show compassion

“As the gap between the haves and the have-nots widens, with people living in cars and tents, we need more affordable and appropriate living arrangements,” he said.

Owners of holiday homes in the Far North, often rented out through Airbnb, are being urged to help ease the pressure on families looking to live in the region.

“We would like people to help so Cairns locals can put a roof over their family’s heads.”

Mr Martin said while he understood people invested in properties to generate income, he hoped they could be compassionate and consider offering homes for lease on a long-term basis rather than listing on holiday sites like Airbnb.

“Simply put, the housing stock just isn’t there to meet the housing demand, with the vast majority of people on all payment types being outpriced in this region,” he said.

“It’s a very competitive market with high rents and increasing cost of living including fuel and food.”

REIQ zone chairman for Cairns and the Far North Tom Quaid.

Mr Martin acknowledged the flipping of holiday lets from Airbnb to longer-term rentals would offer some breathing space, “but all levels of government need to work together to plan for future housing needs and a significant investment in social housing infrastructure is required as housing stability along with education and training will help young people out of the generational homelessness cycle.”

Real Estate Institute of Queensland Far North zone chairman Tom Quaid said swapping over from holiday renting to long term has both ethical and financial advantages for property investors.

“This is a solution the REIQ put forward in the wake of the Brisbane floods when thousands of properties were damaged and taken out of the rental market,” he said.

The Cairns housing crises is dire and Anglicare NQ is calling on the community to consider placing holidays lets on to the long-term rental market. File Image.

“We acknowledge that owners have every right to put their properties into Airbnb, but we do appeal to their social conscience,” he said.

“While it's great to get that extra income, long term rental demand is strong, they can achieve a good return and have more rent certainty.”

The Cairns real estate agent said stressed property managers have told of desperate calls from potential tenants frightened of being made homeless.

“The only answer to build a large range of different sized properties,.” he said.

Airbnb manager for Australia and New Zealand, Susan Wheeldon, said housing affordability and availability is a complex issue.

Anglicare North Queensland acting operations manager, Evan Martin, said the Cairns housing and homelessness crisis is worsening, and he called on landlords to consider moving holiday lest on to the long-term rental market. Picture: Supplied

She said in many markets traditionally popular with holiday-makers, the housing supply has been under significant pressure from people relocating from cities due to Covid.

“In many cases, hosts make properties available on our platform that would otherwise be used only as holiday homes for themselves and their friends and family – many of these homes are unlikely to be offered on the long-term rental market.

“At the same time, they would no longer be helping to spur economic growth and bring in valuable tourist dollars for local businesses.”

Originally published as Call for Airbnb hosts to offer homes as long-term rentals